The Young Knights
by QuickToBurn
Summary: Kid Draco was tasked with finding kids who could be his knights. Fluff to be found. So this is actually a prequel to Draco: A Warlock's Apprantice but it can totally be read as a stand alone.


**A/N: okay so this is sort of a prequel to _Draco Malfoy: A Warlock's Apprantice_. Like a back story of sorts. But it can totally be read on its own that's why I didn't make it a crossover since it's mainly about Draco and his friends anyways. This is about how Draco met his Young Knights, a group of friends who secretly learned magic together since they were children in preparation for a war sure to come. And I made this as an apology for never updating on time. That's all from me_. Enjoy!_**

Draco looked around the play ground. His wide grey eyes scanning the other children there. Draco huffed as he saw the children running around and playing with each other 'being stupid' Draco thought trying to immitate his father's sneer (failing adorably, Merlin would later say).

He still doesn't understand why he had to make a friend out of anyone.

'_You're a prince Draco, a future king. And a king needs to have his knights._' Em's voice nagged in his head.

"But the kids here are just so stupid how could they be knights?" he mumbled to himself. He had been distancing himself from the other children opting to sit under the tree to 'observe' as Em said.

"Where is he anyway... see if father would be happy if he knew you left me on my own with tiny half-bloods and squibs. Not that he knew you existed." Dravo huffed pouting hugging his knees yo his chest.

He would never admit it, to himself or anyone, but he was scared. The day was uncommonly hot and he was alone. The other kids don't count cause they don't know him. He doesn't have his mother here or his father not even the idiot duo Vince and Greg.

Then suddenly he heard angry voices behind the bushes a few feet away from him. He thought of looking into it and then heard a soft whimper as well. He stood up and brushed off dirt from his shorts. He walked to the bushes and peeked through an opening in the leaves.

There was two older boys standing and smirking at a small dark haired boy sat curled on the ground clutching something in his hands.

"Look at that Dan! He's hugging a flower!" said one boy meanly.

"shoulda known that a coward like Longbottom is a pansy as well!" sneered the other boy, he was much successful than Draco was.

"I-I-I'm not a-a coward! a-and this isn't a flower it's dittany. I-it's to cure sick." The small boy defended his whole body shaking. Draco smiled at the boy's answer.

"What are you even saying? How can a flower cure sick? potions cures sick idiot!" said Dan.

Draco rolled his eyes 'he's the idiot who above 3 years old doen't know the use of dittany?' (actually many children don't know this, cause their children and they don't talk about herbs and potion making. Draco's a special cupcake who can read, write, count, speak 2 languages at the tender age of two. And not to mention his godfather's a potions master)

"My mother said he's a squib. Probably why he's so stupid." the first boy said.

"ughh a squib?!" Dan asked disgusted.

"I- I am not!" The small boy said looking at them sharply (he tries to).

"No no no.. you definitely are!" The boys taunted.

The Longbottom boy (a pureblood family he knew of. One of the few Light family his father doesn't despise if only because of the force of nature who is its matriach) trembled again.

"And he's got no parents too!"

"Probably left him cause he's a squib!"

Longbottom stood up hands still clutching the dittany. "that's not true!" he said loudly. probably his version of a shout.

Draco frowned at this. He for one knew for sure that the Longbottoms have no squib to their name. At least not around his age. He'd known if they had. His father had told him about whose family has powerful magic and whose have one too many squibs ("Though one **is** too many" His father would say) and the Longbottom leans more on the first. So he gathered his courage and walked around the tall bushes.

"What are you doing?" He said snidely, trying to give off a Lucius Malfoy aura the best he could.

The three boys turned at the new voice. Draco though smaller than the two older boys had an air of confidence the two never met before.

"Who are you?" Dan asked trying to intimidate.

Draco smiled coldly "Draco Malfoy. And _who _are _you_?" he asked in the most condescending voice he can muster.

Two boys tensed at the name while Dan clueless as he was kept talking pompously. "Daniel Murray and-"

Draco cut him off "a half-blood then." he stated looking at Dan in a way that made him seem as if he's looking down at the older and taller boy. A trick he learned from his mother when soneone annoyed her. "Nothing else I'd expect from an idiot who doesn't even know dittany. Shows how barely a wizard you are."

"wha- What did you say?!" Daniel asked moving towards him but the other boy stopped him looking at Draco worriedly.

"Dan don't" said the other boy "He's a Malfoy."

"a what? what dyou mean Tom? He's a little kid!"

Tom looked unsure and looked at Malfoy "Why is a Malfoy defending a squib?" he asked trying to get the blond on their side.

Draco rolled his eyes "He's a Longbottom. History says that he has more magic than you two combined. But of course you won't know this you're barely wizards yourself aren't you? dogs in the society you lot." he said smirking.

Then both of the older boys lubged at him. He managed to avoid both fist usi g the training Archie gave him. "Trying to hit me are you? I should tell my father about you. He'd make sure that none of your parents will ever find work again." he said.

Dan, brave soul, shouted angrily as he tried to hit Draco again. "You're saying shit!"

Tom who knew how true the warning was backed away from the fight. (Probably heard the many talks of people's life getting ruined after opposing a Malfoy).

"Or shall we make it a duel? we're wizards aren't we?" he asked smilling as he finished tripping Dan to fall on Tom.

"you can't do magic yet!" Dan shouted from the ground trying to look brave as he held his scratched elbow, Tom nodding scared next to him.

Draco smirked as he focused the best he can and whispered "Forbearnan" and a small fire was lit on his palm. He grinned pridefully at them.

The two boys looked at the fire and paled and in a single mind they turned and ran away with a 'you'll pay Malfoy!' shouted as they went.

In truth that was the only spell he knew. Em taught him to proof that he can really do it since he was sceptical about using magic without a wand.

"U-um Malfoy?" Said a voice behind him and he turned, he forgot the other was still there. The boy was fiddling with the dittany in his hands "T-thanks for your help." he said smiling honestly.

And then it came to Draco. Em said that as a prince, even a secret one, his job is to protect his people. And all of Wizarding Britain's residents are his people. So he stuck out his chest and stood straighter.

"It's my job after all to protect all wizards and witches in Great Britain." he said proudly blushing at the awe in the other's face.

"Really?" The boy asked him with wide eyes.

Draco, as he always have, enjoyed the attention and preened under the other's gaze and decided right there and then that he wanted him as a knight.

"Yes. You can't tell anyone. But I'm actually a prince. I'm really here to look for my future knights. And you can call me Draco." Draco said as he held out his hand to the smaller boy.

The looked over the moon at the friendly gesture and shyly shook his hand. "I'm Neville. You're a prince?" Neville asked at awe willing to believe anything his saviour told him. It doesn't help that the blond looked right up a prince out of a fairytale.

"Yup! Hullo Neville, wanna be friends? You can be one of my knights." He asked smiling, slipping back to casual speak.

Neville's eyes were so wide Draco was scared it would fall from his head. "You'd be my friend?" he whispered hopefully but then looked down disappointed. "But I don't think I can be a knight. I-I'm not very brave. Or smart."

Draco frowned (pouted) and grabbed Neville's face in both his hands so the shy boy can look at him.

"You can so be a knight. And you'll not just be any knight! you'll be_my_ knight! We'll make you the best knight and wizard you'll ever be!" Draco said righteously as if he knew what he said was the one truth.

Neville looked at him doubtfully "You really think so?"

"Do you not believe me?" Draco asked and changed tactics when he saw the panic in Neville's face "And a knight will always have to be beside the prince so we'll be friends forever and I can protect you forever too."

Neville looked at Draco's shiny gray eyes "Can I protect you too?" he asked.

Draco laughed and pulled the other boy in for a hug. What can he do? he's innately tactile and Neville's utterly adorable. "Of course you can! I only know the one spell and Em said I'm never going to be all powerful I'll need frie-uh knights to watch my back!"

"Okay than Draco. I'll be your knight." Neville whispered happily as he hugged the blond back.

Draco pulled away and grinned so bright his cheeks hurt "I know you'd understand!"

And as Draco was about to gush at having his first knight a voice sounded behind them.

"Can I be your knight too?" A few feet from them stood a blond boy with clear blue eyes. He looked older than Draco by a year or two. And what Draco also noticed was that he's the prettiest boy Draco had ever seen, other than himself of course though he prefers handsome.

"I'm Cedric, Cedric Diggory. I saw what you did and overheard your conversation. I'd love to be friends" he said smiling kindly.

"You eavesdropped on my secret!" Draco said accusingly.

"Sorry, I overheard it accidentally. I didn't know you'd tell a secret." And he does look apologetic.

Draco bit on his lip and thought on if Em would be mad that someone found out about the secret. Or maybe he should let this Cedric kid be one of his knights. Em said to come back with **knights** after all.

"Wh-why would Draco let you be his knight?" Neville asked fiercely, shocking the other two boys. Apparently the young Longbottom took to the protecting part seriously as he grabbed Draco's sleeve tightly.

"It sounds like fun. And I think you two would be much better company than the lot back there." ge said pointing to the bush, or passed it.

"It won't only be fun and games. You'd have to learn magic with us. And swordfight and many other things." Draco said trying to scare the boy.

Cedric raised an eyebrow "that sounds even better. I gotten bored of the sand castles for a while now." he said. "So can I?"

Draco thought but couldn't see why not. He has no bad feelings about Cedric at all and Diggorys are respectable purebloods. "Alright I guess. Since you already knew about it and you're pretty too." Draco said a bit put out.

The two other boys stared blankly at him and both burst out laughing. Draco blushed "what? What's funny?" he demanded.

"_I'm _pretty?" Cedric asked still laughing. "Do you hear that Neville?"

Neville though not as boistrous was also madly giggling beside him. And he nodded his head in mirth at Cedric then continued laughing.

Draco turned redder "Well he is! Look at him!" he said pouting not seeing the joke.

"I don't need _you_ to tell me that I'm pretty" Cedric grinned.

Then realisation struck Draco he pouted more and crossed his arms "I'm not pretty. My mum says I'm positively handsome. The most gorgeous boy she'd ever seen." Though she might just say that cause she's my mom.

This made the two boys laugh more.

"I guess that's true too." Cedric said gasping for breath a grin firmly planted on his face. "But seriously though have you seen yourself? you looked like one of those fairies muggles draw."

"More like an angel." Neville said giggling.

"That too." Cedric said giggling.

Draco huffed at them and chose to preen, like father's favored albino peacocks, then said " Well I suppose I am impossibly beautiful aren't I?" he gloated.

Then the boys fell to laughter again this time Draco joined them.

hours later

When Merlin came to pick up Draco he expected to see the blond alone or maybe with a list of prospects as the five year old seemed to be fifty inside. He expected him to watch over the playground sitting under a shade being bored yet entirely comfortable alone. And Merlin wouldn't mind. It's only the first day after all and the main purpose was so that Draco would be in contact with various types of people and not just ones with hostile parents.

He surely didn't expect what he saw. He found Draco and his two new friends (two!!) sitting behind a tall bush. The two other boys were trying every which way to weave as many purple and blue flowers they can into the Malfoy mane. Merlin couldn't even laugh he was so stunned.

Then Draco looked up at him with a proud knowing smirk. 'the brat' Merlin thought as he grinned and summoned a camera.

_flash!_Draco rolled his eyes at him. But the blond looked happy and Merlin was all too glad for it.

**A/N: What do you guys think? I'd love to heqr your comments about it. This chapter is only about his first knights. I'll try to put in the rest in the next chapters! thanks for reading!**


End file.
